Those Kinds of Days

When it comes to running there are bad days and good days.  There are the kinds of runs where I go out for an "easy" run or a "short" run and find myself 8 miles in or running sub-8:00 minute pace.  I live for those days.  Those runs when I return home feeling amazing.  Where I feel like I can conquer any distance, any race.  Unfortunately along with those kinds of days I also have the sluggish runs, painful runs, slower than expected, cut the distance short kinds of runs.  The ones where I return home wondering why I put myself through that or if I'll be able to achieve my goals.

Last Tuesday I went out for a run and ended up churning out a 6 mile tempo run.  My goal pace has been 8:00 per mile which I've been able to do with the stroller.  I ran without the stroller and rocked the run.  I averaged 7:41 pace with each mile just a little bit faster than the one before it and a 7:25 last mile.  I felt awesome.  I was pumped and excited to try running even faster the following week.  It was one of those spectacular, this is what running is all about kinds of runs.

Today I ran my next tempo run.  Also 6 miles.  I figured I'd take off at 7:40 pace since that's what I averaged the week before and see what happened.  I wasn't sure how it would go because I had a migraine yesterday and my head still wasn't back to normal.  I took off at a pace that felt comfortable.  When my watch cheeped for the first mile I looked down to see 7:36.  I was a little worried my wheels might fall off in the last couple miles, but I was feeling good so I pushed on.

The first 4 miles went really well and then I felt like I was running in slow motion.  My last 2 miles were both over 8 minutes.  I finished with an average pace of 7:48 per mile.  Granted it was only 7 seconds per mile slower than the week before, but there's just something demoralizing about finishing the way I did.  It is so much more fun to negative split, rocking a 7:25 last mile like the week before.

I returned home feeling a bit disappointed, but brushed it off the best I could.  Not every run can be faster than the one before it.  Not every day is going to be one of those amazing days.  And really if it was, where would the challenge in running be? 

Better luck next time momma!

Linking up with Ashley for Move it Monday!